Drawn That Way

by Elissa Sussman, Arielle Jovellanos (Illustrator)

“Packs a swoony punch along with its feminist rage.” —Maurene Goo, author of Somewhere Only We Know

Moxie meets the world of animation in this fresh, unputdownable novel about a teen girl determined to prove herself in the boys’ club of her dream industry no matter what it takes.

Hayley Saffitz is confident, ambitious, and intent on following in the footsteps of her hero, renowned animation director, Bryan Beckett. When she’s given a spot in his once-in-a-lifetime summer program, Hayley devises a snag one of the internship’s coveted directing opportunities. Dazzle Bryan with her talent. Secure a job post-graduation. Live her dream.

Except she doesn’t land one of the director positions. All of those go to boys. And one of them is Bryan’s son, Bear. Despite Bear’s obvious apathy for the internship, Hayley soon realizes that there’s more to him than she expected. As they work together, the animosity between them thaws into undeniable chemistry and maybe something…more.

But Hayley can’t stop thinking about the chance she was refused.

Determined to make a name for herself, Hayley recruits the five other young women in the program to develop their own short to sneak into the film festival at the end of the summer. As the internship winds down, however, one question Will Hayley conform to the expectations of her idol, or will she risk her blossoming relationship with Bear—and her future—to prove that she’s exactly as talented as she thinks she is?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Romance

352 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2021

About the author

Writer, reader, pumpkin pie eater.

I'm not very active on Goodreads, but I love hearing from readers. Visit my website to see how you can contact or connect with me!

Elissa Sussman is the author of the novel FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK, as well as the young adult novels, DRAWN THAT WAY, STRAY, and BURN.

She has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, an MFA from Pacific University, and in a previous life managed animators and organized spreadsheets at some of the best animation studios in the world, including Nickelodeon, Disney, Dreamworks, and Sony Imageworks. You can see her name in the credits of THE CROODS, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, and TANGLED.

She lives in her hometown of Los Angeles with her husband and their two dogs, Basil and Mozzarella.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 60%

So I'm a woman who's worked in animation for the last 10 years. And that might be the problem, because every little inaccuracy is like an uppercut to the jaw. The idea of a bunch of untrained teenagers making a ten minute short, by hand, in three months, was pretty laughable. (In college, with three years training, we managed to make a 1 minute short in 4 months and it nearly killed us) That everyone had paper sketchbooks and drew everything by hand instead of using tablets, ipads and cintiqs, that animation supervisors somehow had the time to babysit a bunch of kids while also working on a feature film (we are infamously overworked) were also things that kept jerking me out of the story. When I got to the point where the heroine claimed that animating by hand on paper was faster than by computer I sighed, closed the book, and called it a day.

Another thing that irked me was the blatant sexism narrative. Look, I won't pretend that the animation industry has "solved sexism," most feature films are still directed by white dudes, and I also can't speak for every single animation studio nor everyone's personal experience, but it also isn't near as dire as this book claims. This book makes it out like every guy in the industry is a disgusting sexist pig joking that women should "get back in the kitchen" (except the progressive, woke love interest of course) and just... no? Sure I've run into dudes like that in the industry but, they're hardly the norm and usually don't last that long anyways. We had an incident recently where a guy disrespected his female supervisor, called her stupid, and he was kicked out the door so fast his ass left scorch marks on the front steps.

I work in television animation and there, every studio I've worked at has had a very balanced 50/50 male to female ratio, tons of LGBTQ people, and extremely diverse. Many of the supervisors, directors and show creators are women. I've always been extremely proud to work in such a diverse, progressive industry. Us women (as well as Poc and LGBTQ) have spent decades clawing back ground from the cishet white dudes that once dominated this industry. And this book not spending one second acknowledging our hard work kind of hurt.

I think this book should've taken place in the 50's. Because back then women weren't in the industry very often and men were way more blatant in their sexism. And they kept forgetting that cell phones and computers exist anyways, it would have barely changed the story to make it historical fiction.

One extra star because I appreciated that the teenagers did act like teenagers (besides being uber special and ridiculously over-talented) but I would've preferred a story about an overly cocky wannabe animator getting her ass handed to her by the industry and then slowly rebuilding her confidence and skills than yet another bland boring story about a ridiculously overpowered super special snowflake smashing the patriarchy and shattering gender norms by pretending that thousands of women haven't already been doing that in animation since 1933.

(I will concede that maybe some of this stuff came up later in the story. Like I said I did DNF at 60%, but I just couldn't make it through.)

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 4 out of 5]

⤅ Well, this was delightful.

When I was sixteen, I did an internship at a global law firm which had been arranged by an alumna of my school. I remember very clearly how awful it felt. My clothes weren't right at all, I said all the wrong things, did things in the worst and most awkward way. A standout moment came when a staff member told me I had been taken on 'to make [them] look good', because I was a brown hijab-wearing female. Considering the other intern with me was a private-school boy whose father was best friends with a senior partner, I felt comprehensively put in my place.

That was in 2016. Drawn That Way is set in 2021, and it suggests that large swathes of professional society haven't changed - unsurprisingly, perhaps.

17-year-old Hayley Saffitz is a budding animator: she wants to work in studios like Disney or Ghibli, for animated films. I happen to really love watching animated films, so I could totally relate to her complaints that people think liking animation is 'childish'. While her parents don't exactly disapprove, they'd much rather she settled down to focus on something more 'substantial' than drawing cartoons. (Again, I could relate; it took a long time before my dad got over the fact I read English at university rather than medicine, or at least a STEM subject).

Hayley, though, has one thing going for her: she's secured a coveted internship with Bryan Beckett, famous animator and director, whose studio has put on an internship programme for forty American teens. If only she can excel, she can prove to all the naysayers and doubter that you don't need a uni education or connections to make it in the business. Just skill - and she's got that. Hasn't she?

Also on the programme is Bear Beckett, Bryan's son. Everyone knows he's got there because of nepotism, so Hayley hates him on sight. This produces a very entertaining dynamic: he's got a huge crush on her, but she's basically the only person who can't tell. One of my favourite tropes.

The romance is strong, though its appearance is a little sudden (you'll see what I mean if you read it). Bear is a brilliant hero. The ending is very open though, sort of barely even a HFN, which is my least favourite thing about YA books. I get why they don't have epilogues featuring the kids ten years in the future with kids and a white picket fence, but I prefer a bit more closure than we usually tend to get...

Also, I LOVED Hayley's character. I found her insanely relatable, as I've mentioned a couple of times already. She's not always likeable - she's a little arrogant, socially inept, intense, etc. But those are all traits I recognise I've exhibited at points in my life, and I think she's a very sympathetic character who does change as the book goes on.

The plot is an interesting one. Some parts are too unrealistically Disney-ish for my tastes, but the rest is just effervescently fun. Hayley's inner monologue is direct and descriptive. The world of an animation studio is excellently drawn - the author has first-hand experience, which always helps. I know nothing whatsoever about this world, but I'm unsurprised to hear about the rampant misogyny and nepotism. Life seems to be like that in most places, really.

That's a bleak place to end a review, so instead I'll finish by remembering that this book has illustrations! Good ones too.

[T ✩ Handmaiden Of Amidala · Rating 2 out of 5]

WHAT I EXPECTED:
A factual, thought-provoking novella showcasing the experience of a female animator working in a male-dominated industry and the struggles accompanying that, a strong, relatable protagonist and maybe a small but sweet romance on the side.

WHAT I GOT INSTEAD:
A shallow, predictable YA book with too much romantic focus and full of clichés; traumatised bad boy, instalove, enemies-to-lovers - but it's not actually because he was in love with her from the start, an arrogant, incredibly dense and unlikeable main character and a weird agenda where every guy except for the 'woke' love interest is a nasty and sexist jerk for no other reason than the narrative demanding it for conflict.

You know, I'm sick of reading angst-fuelled teen romances disguised as contemporaries.

*SPOILER ALERT*
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The character and childhood of the love interest, Bear, is exactly that of Christopher Robin, son of A. A. Milne, and the price he had to pay for his father's success. Similarly, the story of Bear's mother is taken straight from the making of the original Star Wars film, and Marcia Lucas' role in the cutting room of her then-husband's production.

Look, it's okay to take inspiration from real life stories and people, but at least credit them at the end of your book instead of crossing your fingers and hoping your audience won't be familiar with their biographies.

Since I had heard of the aforementioned stories I predicted the entire family drama straight away which was disappointing since it was written as a mysterious subplot. Worse, the Beckett family are written as black-and-white caricatures of these people with only Pig, Feminist & Woke as their respective personalities.

Now, for the actual story, I only gave an extra star because:

- I liked that Hayley was Jewish, obviously I can't speak for the quality of the representation (feel free to correct me) but it was a fresh perspective, even if wasn't the main focus of the story.
- Girls actually working together and not hating each other. Can we please normalise non-toxic female friendships in YA?
- Some conversations between Hayley and Bryan Beckett were actually interesting.

And that's it.

Hayley is INSUFFERABLE. She is so arrogant and sure of her talent. She won't stop judging others' work, because her pitch is the best and everyone else's ideas are boring and worthless. She's Hollywood's ideal of a Strong Female Lead™ .

Let me tell you, Hayley's pitch is basically every single Pixar movie but more generic and predictable. It's the plot of Big Hero Six where Baymax is a Golem and set in the Wild West instead of a futuristic setting. I was not surprised when she didn't win and honestly the other guy's idea of a twisted Jack and the Beanstalk tale sounded a lot more intriguing to me but Hayley is condescending and judgmental to him and his project even before he reveals his true colors.

The way she treats the other girls when she gets rejected is despicable. While I can understand her frustration over the discrimination, why does she take it out on the only other people who can relate? Why is she so special?

And no, she doesn't learn a lesson. The other intern girls forgive her, find out about her pitch and are like 'omg this is amazing' and over a ridiculously tiny amount of time they animate a masterpiece. She's still extremely condescending towards the other projects.

At the end, they play their short film onstage and of course, Hayley is praised for being so talented and bla bla.

HA. So you can treat people like trash and still rise above them because you think you're better than them at something? What kind of message is that?

The sexism felt cartoonish and overdone. Most misogyny in the workplace is subtle and slips under the radar, which is what makes it so awful as it's often hard to get concrete evidence of it happening.

There's a conversation between the six girls about the sexism they had observed when talking to boys their age about movies. While I agree with the ideas they tried to get across, their points about the subject were incredibly weak. Some of the movie heroines they brought up in their arguments were, frankly, just poorly written characters disliked by male and female fans alike. Toxic fanboys hating them solely for their gender are a minority.

Secondly, I'm not sure if the author is familiar with Gen Z males because outside of a small but vocal and stupid Andrew-Tate-worshipping crowd most are generally decent people who don't treat women like second-class human beings. I can understand the older executives showing lingering biases from awful times gone by. But here it's not just them; nearly every intern boy in this book showed hostility to the women characters for just being women. It didn't make sense at all.

Other issues like underpay and overwork (both renown problems in the animation industry) aren't touched on at all.

Now, oh my goodness, the bloody romance. It was one of the worst cases of instalove I've ever seen. It was also extremely toxic, as Hayley goes to find Bear when in a state of extreme emotional agitation, tells him 'you like me' - kisses him and knocks him onto the floor - wait now they're making out - no, I'm not kidding.

So it's ok to just assault someone out of the blue because his dad told you he's crushing on you?

That does NOT give you permission to do something like that without consent. Especially in a book where sexual harassment plays such a major theme in the narrative. It's awful and hypocritical.

What a horrible way to start a relationship. Anger should NOT be exerted this way. 🚩🚩🚩

Hayley and Bear have zero chemistry. Their relationship is entirely sexual, which I definitely don't enjoy reading about even when non-explicit.

So yeah, this book just wasn't for me. I may have been a bit harsh with my rating since the author did use to work in Disney and Pixar's studios so she knows a lot more than me, but I just couldn't get into this. Had it focused more on what it was advertising and less on the 'marketable' stuff, I probably would've enjoyed it more.

2 cold and disappointed stars.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of animated movies, Drawn That Way was a wonderful and fun insight into the magical and flawed world of animation. This is a delightful YA realistic novel that sucked me into the story and was just such a pleasure to read. You know how some books just make you smile? That’s this book. But along with the fun, flirtations, friendship and kissing, there are some powerful messages about challenging the racist, sexist systems, girl power and standing up for what you know is right.

Hayley Saffitz knows her future lies in the world of animation. The chance to spend the summer at an exclusive internship program with her idol and Oscar winning animator Bryan Beckett is everything she ever dreamed of and the chance to prove to everyone just how serious she is about animation. But when Hayley is overlooked for one of the director positions and Bryan’s son is given one of the direct positions without even presenting a finished pitch, Hayley realises the world of animation is biased. Determined to prove to herself - and the sexist men- that she deserves her chance, Hayley teams up with the other girls in the program to create their own short.

You can tell the author has experience working in the world of animated movies. While I have no experience and rally couldn’t tell you if the details are right, the whole thing feels authentic and realistic.

I so enjoyed Hayley as a character. She is determined and knows how good she is and that she deserves a shot. Sometimes this comes across as brash and rude, but she learns from this and begins to balance her confidence and self belief with being a good friend. I love the message that it’s okay to be this self confident, to truly believe in your abilities. It’s something we often lack in YA fiction and it’s refreshing. I can’t wait to share Hayley and her story with my high school readers.

Yes, this book has some romance in it. Swoony kissing scenes and a lovely connection between Hayley and Bear. It was a little unexpected, as despite idolising his dad, Hayley hates Bear right from the start and despises him for the privileged that he doesn’t seem to care about. Despite trying to ignore him, during a few moments where they connect and as Hayley starts to understand Bryan better and how that must have impacted Bear growing up, Hayley starts to learn who Bear really is - and she kind of likes it. But she doesn’t let romance stand in the way of her chance to prove herself and I LOVED that.

The female characters, from the other girls in the program to Hayley’s mentor, were absolutely fabulous, as were the few non-jerky men in the book. I loved the few sketches scattered throughout the story that bring characters and special moments to life and reflect the true artistry of this book - captured both in the story and the words on the page

A feel-good YA novel about the challenging white male privilege and ignorance.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library

[Book Bee NYC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh, I loved this book! It's set over a summer internship at an animation studio in L.A., and I really liked the way that Elissa Sussman dives into the way an ambitious girl thinks and feels when she's going after her dreams. This focus made the book feel perfectly modern--I'll be excited to recommend it to teen girl readers in particular. It also features an excellent romance with a cute guy named Bear. I was in, 100%!

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions)]

This book made me SO ANGRY. But that's good because it absolutely wanted to. Hayley Saffitz gets a coveted internship to an animation studio, her dream animation studio run by Bryan Beckett, her idol, and it is a sexist nightmare. The plot is largely what you would expect it to be, so not a lot of surprises, but it really does nail the emotions of that and the way it often is to be a woman in the workforce in a male-dominated industry. The romance is also pretty cute.

[scrambled meggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a woman working in the animation industry, and received an ARC copy of this book.

Drawn that Way was a bit of a slow start for me, but once the story got going, it was a breezy, fun read. A young person coming of age, facing disappointment and rejection, without losing their spirit or giving up their ambition.

I initially found Hayley a little grating - very grating - probably because I saw a LOT of myself in her, almost to an uncomfortable degree, haha. But I like how she matures as a person throughout the story. While some of the adversaries in this book can seem cartoonishly evil at times, the systemic problems she encountered felt, sadly, very real and relatable to me.

The dialogue definitely feels on the nose to an older reader, but appropriate for a younger audience, in my opinion. It feels like an appropriate read for young teens. For parents/teachers, I personally found the descriptions of romance fairly chaste and age-appropriate.

My only major criticism is that for a book that is shining a light on gender discrimination in the film industry, little is said about queer people. A single line about one girl saying she didn't like boys was the only mention of any LGBTQ+ persons. If the book had been longer, I'd love to have seen more characterization of the other girls in Hayley's dorm. They felt a little like set dressing most of the time.

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't intend to read the entirety of Drawn That Way over the course of a few hours; I just couldn't put it down. I hadn't heard much about this book, so I didn't have many expectations for it, but it absolutely blew me away. While the plot was predictable at times, the execution was so good that it didn't really matter, and the illustrations were a fun surprise that fit the book perfectly.

The main plot revolves around sexism in the animation industry. I work in a similarly male-dominated field, and while I've thankfully never been on the receiving end of anything as blatant or severe as some of the events in the book, a lot of the emotions expressed by the book's female characters really hit home. I also appreciated that the female characters reacted in a variety of ways.

Hayley is an exceptional protagonist. She grows a lot over the course of the story, learning some much-needed lessons, but that doesn't fundamentally change who she is - driven, dedicated, and not willing to be shut out of a world that would be happy to let her slip through the cracks. And I really loved how her Jewishness was woven into the story through her short film about a golem in the 19th century American West (though I'm now kind of sad that that's not a real thing that exists that I can watch). Not all of the supporting characters stand out in the same way, though Sloane (Hayley's mentor), Bear (the son of the head of the animation studio), and a couple of others certainly do.

Overall, Drawn That Way is an engaging, feminist story that you won't want to miss. Highly recommended!

CW: sexism, sexual harrassment, mentioned racism

I recieved an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Julia Pika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Drawn That Way follows Hayley, whose dream is to get a job at one of the best animation studios (in her Totally Correct Opinion), and manages to follow that dream through an incredibly internship opportunity at The Best Animation Studio. Problem is, things aren't perfect at The Best Animation Studio, as Hayley unfortunately finds out....

This book was made for me....kidding, but it does hits all my favorite topics in one place. Animation, check. Sexism in the work place, check. Also a sweet romance, check...As a bonus, it's not super depressing, it's a very optimistic book despite the dark topics throughout the story.

Hayley is not a typical sweet and kind protagonist, she's self-absorbed (but gets better) and very dedicated to her craft. I absolutely love the author for making her three dimensional and realistic for people who have such hyper-focused ambitions. Sometimes they get so focused that they ignore everything else in life but her friends/boyfriend help her see past that ambition and live life to the fullest instead of animating, hunched over a desk in a dark room all her life.

Awesome and unique story! I hope we get more books like this focused on the animation studios (fictional or real, ha) in the future!

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely, incredibly special. 5***** !

I don't know if i'm going to be a girls mom, but if I am lucky enough to nurture a daughter, I will make sure to gift her this book when she's 13-15. There aren't many feminist coded (YA) novels on the market that address the tough position of women in the workplace / the glass ceiling in such a painful ánd hopeful way.

This book contains an important message of not giving up. It will teach you elf confidence and believing in your capabilities, even if mediocre white men with too much power tell you that you aren't good enough and not suited for your dreams. I can't wait to read it to my future daughter and I invite every woman to read this, if you need a pick me up and motivational vibe!

<3

[D.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incisive, funny, and heartfelt, DRAWN THAT WAY is a love letter to chasing your dreams and finding your voice. Readers will be immediately hooked by the unique setting and the all too real challenges Hayley faces during her internship, including sexism, antisemitism, and the crushing disappointment that your idols may not be who you think they are. Elissa is a talented storyteller and this is yet another example of her skill.

[Kati Treu · Rating 5 out of 5]

New favorite book alert!!!! I see so much of myself in Hayley. The dedication to her craft, the passion for an industry who isn't quite ready for what she has. I seriously wish this book existed when I was first setting out on my journey to a career in animation. Unpacking the unfortunate truths of a male-dominated industry. It's heartbreaking but so inspiring. Every marginalized animation hopeful needs to read this book. 💖

[thebasicbanana · Rating 4 out of 5]

guys. oh my god. this book was actual GIRL POWER AHAHHHHBBBHHHH.


loved loved loved. the relationships, the misogyny, toxic workplaces, the drama. i just i loved it so so so much i cant even write words.

hayley was an amazing mc, the way her inner monologue was SO RELATABLE. the way the author completely showed the ways hayley doubted herself was SO RELATABLE and i just loved itttt. the side romance plot was also yayayay.

i think the best part was the absolute girl power. i love a good girls come together to fight and this book had that. im sooo glad i picked this up at the library!!

def recommend!!!! 4.5 starssssss

[Sola Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really cute, I loved all the characters and how driven they each were for their goals. The overall theme of this book was SO AMAZING!!! 6th grade me definitely needed a book like this to inspire me and send out good feminist energy ahahah! As always the side characters were definitely the highlight of this book and just made it feel a bit more based in reality. I loved this and is definitely a great read for someone who just needs a good “happy-go-lucky book” to get them through the day.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars of animation nerdom and smashing the patriarchy! Loved the Jewish rep (um inspiration from American Tail in the acknowledgments??!!!) and the lil romance. Read in one day, Sussman has definitely become an auto read author for me!

[Medha Upadhyay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting tale about the perils of moviemaking. The story was realistic and felt relatable to anyone who has loved the arts and yearned for look behind the scenes.
Unfortunately, the plot seemed to drag. There just wasn't enough going on, and everything took too long to be resolved. Additionally, the characters were a bit too extreme to feel realistic. They all fluctuated from one extreme emotion to another with little rhyme or reason.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous book! I loved every second of it. If you enjoyed Moxie and its girl power message, you’re going to adore this one as well. MC Hayley’s whole life is animation, so when she is selected as one of 40 teens to get a summer internship at BB Gun films (think: Pixar) she’s over the moon and can’t wait, but what she encounters at the studio is a whole other story. Sexism, racism, nepotism—all the crap anyone with a vagina who has worked in the world experiences at some point.

The handful of girls in the program aren’t given the shot they deserve, so they band together to do something pretty incredible, but meanwhile Hayley and BB Gun Film’s founder’s son, Bear, and she start a sweet, romantic, relationship. I loved the messages in this book about standing up for what is right, girls helping girls, women mentors, and never giving up on your dream. Plus, if you’re a fan of animated movies you’re going to eat up all the Disney, Miyazaki, etc. references in here. The author used to work in animation at Nickelodeon, Disney, Dreamworks, and it shows. The insider knowledge would have been enough for me, but this book is so much more. Sad it had to end, but the good news is that Sussman has an adult debut coming out in 2022: Funny You Should Ask!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the core elements of Drawn That Way. Hayley is young and ambitious, focused on her career path and studying under her creative hero to make it happen. It’s also clear from the outset that she is sometimes too focused, too starstruck, to realize that she can relax and build friendships, explore other paths.

And while there is an obvious romantic angle from the outset, Hayley’s story isn’t about the cute guy she falls for at her summer internship. She spends just as much time building relationships with the other girls in her program (including some really spectacular missteps) and those relationships are treated with just as much gravity and screen time. Same with Hayley’s mentor - Sloane is a badass who I would kill to have in my corner.

Finally, I love that one of the running themes of this story is calling out the sexist, racist bullshitting of [insert profession here]; although the plot focuses on animation production, it’s clear this is an experience that women and POC have to deal with in many professions.

My big complaint is readability. I love all these elements…but they are written in a heavy-handed way that feels like it’s pushing the moral of the story every singe moment. Every character is overdescribed to emphasize the lack of diversity. All the misogynist guys are over the top blatant about it. Company founder Bryan Beckett may as well be named Mr. Bigworth (a villainous character Hayley bemoans over) for how transparently awful he is. I felt like I was being hit over the head with the moral of the story, and that detracted from enjoying Hayley’s character growth.

That didn’t stop me from reading to the end — I had to see Beckett get put in his place — but it isn’t at the top of my must-read recs.

[BookBagDC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about dreams, ambition, and obstacles.  Hayley Saffitz is a high school student who has long been interested in animation and is determined to make it her career.  When her hero, the famed animation director Bryan Bennett, establishes a competitive internship program at his studio, Hayley knows she needs to be part of it.  And when she is admitted to the program, she has only one goal -- secure one of the internship program's four slots to direct an original animation film in order to impress Bryan and prompt him to offer Hayley a job.  

Things don't go according to plan.  Hayley does not get one of the four directing slots.  In fact, none of the women in the program do.  But Bryan's son, Bear, is given one of the directing slots, despite his seeming lack of interest in the opportunity or the internship overall.  Hayley wants to hate Bear, who she sees as an entitled man relying on his family connections to get ahead.  But the more they interact, the more Hayley comes to see that Bear is more complex than she assumed.

As Hayley explores her feelings for Bear, she also can't give up on the opportunity to impress Bryan, so she convinces the five only other women in her program to go rogue and create their own short film to sneak into the film festival at the end of the summer.  With the end of the summer looming — and the pressure of her regular internship work, the efforts on her secret film, her relationship with Bear, and the sexism that she faces in the program —Hayley is forced to confront whether her expectations of Bear, Bryan, the studio, her talent, and her ambition align with reality and, if not, what that means for her future.

This book was terrific.  This is one of the strongest portrayals in fiction I've read of ambition and what it is like when your ability to reach your dream is thwarted not because of talent, dedication, or will but because of structural forces like, as is the case here, sexism.  

The author deftly depicts what it is like for someone when you are committed to a goal and believe in your own talent, but obstacles not about your individual capabilities cause you to doubt yourself and your abilities and erode your confidence.  As a reader, we see Hayley cycle through confidence, frustration, self-doubt, blaming others, blaming herself, and resilience as she faced the dynamics of an internship and a hero that departed so significantly from her expectations. We also see Hayley’s internal struggle with when, if ever, one should give up on your dreams.  In Hayley, Bear, Bryan, Sloane (Hayley's mentor), and several others, the author created strong, complex, and compelling characters to tell this story -- all flawed in their own ways. 

Strongly recommended!

[BookPaiges · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A tribute to ambitious girls, big dreams, and true creative passion”- Maureen Goo, author of Somewhere Only We Know.

That quote was what really sold me on picking up this novel. And it did deliver on that. Hayley is insanely ambitious about entering the animation industry and becoming a big success, and is in LOVE with animation. She works so hard during the internship, but gets no recognition or credit.

Subjective 3 stars, but objective 4 stars (especially if you’re interested in animation).

Pros:
- Well paced, several scenes fit into one book
- Short chapters that make sense
- Got me feeling genuine anger and rage for the sexism and unfairness that Hayley gets
- Girl power and female friendship group (although it could’ve been stronger, as they weren’t talked about in the novel a lot. There was a lot of character building in the first few chapters, but it wasn’t really necessary, as I forgot who was who and they weren’t talked about a lot anyway.)
- I liked how they represented a normal and healthy love interest/relationship between Bear and Hayley, without any crazy drama or mess. Felt realistic and they were both really mature in their relationship. (note that their relationship wasn’t the main focus of the story and was a side plot that added to Hayley’s journey. Which was what I was looking for.)

Cons:
- For me personally, there was too much talk about animation and the process of making a short film. I simply don’t care, but I’m sure others will like it. I just skipped these parts- which was like lots of paragraphs.
- They don’t actually address the sexism in the office directly, but more indirectly. But this was likely intentional because Hayley didn’t know that sexism was apparent in the industry and it’s written in her POV. But it was strange that all the female mentors never used the word sexism until 3/4s in. And the word was only used once. I think they just need to say it as it is.
- Hayley’s naivety and unawareness about the sexism in the industry doesn’t seem realistic. She knows everything about animation and the exact role she wants in the goodies, but doesn’t know that the gender inequality exists? Surely she reads articles and goes on Instagram to see something mention this. She is also 17 in the novel so it’s not like she’s -that- young to not understand sexism when she sees it firsthand in the office. Does it now cross her mind that they are just not giving her the director role because she’s a female? Since her pitch was so good. But we can’t blame women! She shouldn’t have to think about this in the first place. But sadly that’s the world we live in.
- NICK IS SO DISGUSTING AND RUDE AND SEXIST AND HOMOPHOBIC. But he starts off a decent guy but then the ego and power seems to take over.

[Peach For The Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5. Not the most riveting prose and character wise, but a new topic and industry that still kept me engaged and attentive.

What did I learn?

-There are discrimination problems that are present in the animation industry, although this book may have taken creative license and combined many instances in one story to make it very clear.

-Creative industries are often overworked. In real time, this can be grueling and not rewarding, especially when you’re not the head visionary. Or when your opinion isn’t valued.

-It’s valuable to make relationships in every industry, but especially in animation where you’re collaborating often.

-Communication is key. Taking a moment to yourself to come across as clear and coordinated is valuable. You present yourself stronger, more consistently, and in the best light.

What did I like?

-I liked how knowledgeable the girls were about the animation industry. Although their skills may have been idealistic for those of high schoolers, I liked that they had passion for the industry and were actual fans. They knew facts.

-I liked the in-depth description of outfits. It was a good touch and was enjoyable to imagine it.

-I liked her somewhat realistic relationship with her parents.

-I liked how most of the characters grew and had a clear arc.

-I liked how she had tenacity and clearly, Realized things by the end of the book.

-I like how her relationship with bear, didn’t follow the full cliché, even though it started as a turnoff.

What I didn’t like.

-The blatant nature of the sexism didn’t feel super realistic. However, it made me easily root for her. So, I didn’t mind too much, but I can admit that it’s not that realistic.

-I didn’t like that she immediately went and kissed Bear. I found that kind of disgusting. It also went against most things that her character had done at that point. It was rushed and felt forced. I did not enjoy the romance in pretty much any way.

Ugh, that was revolting, and I thought she was feeding into his dad’s disturbing, insulting insinuations that ‘girls should be muses’.

-I didn’t like how she idolized Bryan, because that was annoying, always in our face, and dangerous. It was also damaging for her self-esteem when he shut her down.

-CWs for kissing and taking it too far for teens (i.e. partial nudity). A few uses of foul language. Does not pass standards for clean. However, I skipped almost all the kiss scenes because I was interested in the plot.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In between her junior and senior year of high school, Hayley Saffitz is one of the teens chosen for a summer internship in animation due to her submission. Since the internship is under the auspices of Bryan Beckett, a famous animation director whom she idolizes, Hayley regards it as her chance to prove herself to him and to her parents who are pressuring her to attend college before launching her animation career. Hayley has studied all of Bryan's films, techniques, and words of wisdom, using his comments about creativity as a guide, and even following his lead in wearing similar clothing so that getting dressed isn't a distraction. (Think Steve Jobs of Apple fame.) The internship is amazing in many respects, and Hayley soaks up everything she is learning. But when she isn't chosen for one of the competitive direction spots despite her excellent work, she grows disenchanted with the studio and realizes that Beckett is more than a little misogynistic and that females in his world are relegated to second-status roles. Although Hayley has damaged her relationship with the other women selected as interns with her standoffishness and an outburst denigrating the abilities of one of them, she reaches out to them as allies in creating a short film that just might blow the others out of the water--if they can find a way to get it seen. Feminists and those in the arts will appreciate Hayley's determination and how closed to women this particular field seems to be. While Hayley makes plenty of mistakes along the way and her romantic dalliance with Beckett's son Bear as well as how Bear's mother finally stands up to her former husband after all these years are a bit predictable but add to reader interest. I just wondered why it took her so many years to finally assert herself and chart her own path in animation. Clearly, it's disconcerting and disappointing to learn that someone who has been so important to you and shaped how you regard animation and directing is something of a jerk and wrong on several counts. Despite her worldliness, Hayley's innocence when it comes to this particular world is well drawn and honest. Many teen readers will relate completely to her awakening and her determination to be seen and heard.

[annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really good and succeeded in making me fuming about the presence of sexism within industries that people wouldn’t necessarily think are male-dominated or misogynistic. I really liked the acknowledgement of how Bryan Beckett was also just a man and like while he js representative of a lot thats wrong with society, he’s still human.

Additionally, I also really appreciated Hayley and her father’s relationship and how jealousy plays into it because she’s able to achieve her father’s dreams that he was never able to do.

I also like how it drew on the author’s own experience of working within animation and the sexism. I like how she brought to life some of the characters and the way misogyny runs deep in workplaces. I really don’t think this book could have been written by someone else.

I do think some of the characters were somewhat caricaturist and maybe exaggerated (?) but then again it could also be argued that sexism is like that.

I do wish it had gotten deeper into struggles by people of colour and especially women of colour because they are quite underrepresented in the animation industry and in fiction. I thought it would have hit harder and re-emphasised the point rather than being glossed over and like barely mentioned. I do understand how maybe Sussman thought it wasn’t her place as someone who isn’t of colour.

I do like how it showed off Hayley’s Jewish identity and cultural things that related to her relationships e.g. her mum missing her during Shabbat and like stereotypes in a way like the disconnect between her and her brother as her brother is the stereotypical Jewish doctor and she’s the total opposite.

I also liked how it showed female relationships in the workplace and how sometimes women being other women down because they think they should struggle.

Overall, I liked this book because of the harsh light Sussman shined on the animation industry’s misogyny but I wish the protagonist was women of colour to really drive home that point and better emphasise how patriarchy benefits white men the most.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Californian Haley Saffitz wins a prized spot as one of 41 high school summer interns at BBGun Animation studios, run by her idol, Bryan Beckett. She's smart, and ambitious, and sure of her artistic gifts, certain, too, that she has the talent to be chosen as one of 4 interns who'll be put in charge of directing a short film during the summer program. Not surprisingly, she's crushed, then, when Beckett doesn't choose her, and when she lashes out in her disappointment and shock and hurt, manages to alienate the only other girls in the internship program. Even worse, Beckett's son, Bear, is selected as a director, even though he hasn't put nearly as much effort into winning the role, nor does he even to have even a modicum of Haley's ambition or drive. That these two will end up in a romance isn't surprising; nor is the underlying theme of the story, that sexism and racism play far bigger a role in choices made by Bryan and his mostly white male colleagues about who gets ahead and who gets to serve as "inspiration" for the "real" artists than does the "talent" they all purport to revere. Hayley, like many adolescent girls who have been told that girls can do anything now, unlike in the past, has to learn that bias and prejudice are still painfully alive—and has to decide how to respond.

A bit too pat and wrapped up in a nice bow by story's end (the six girls work easily together to successfully show the patriarchy what's what; a too-good-to-be-true not at all sexist male romantic lead) for five stars. But Haley's gradual recognition of the not-so-hidden sexism and racism of her hero, and the industry she reveres (an industry the author knows well, having worked as a PA for four different animation studios), as well as her refusal to bend in spite of it, is persuasive and compelling. "This new generation... They're not going to put up with that crap" (301)—not if they read this book...

[Pie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Hmm, kind of a mixed bag I think? I was interested in reading this because it was a book about the animation industry written by someone who actually worked in it, and in that aspect it really delivered–I love YA books where the main character has a really specific passion, and I think this one did a great job of exploring why Hayley loves animation and how the industry works. It's more than just a surface-level "gee I love art" book though, since it explores what it's like to love an industry more than it loves you, specifically when it comes to Hayley and her friends/mentors having to deal with sexism, racism, and nepotism. The sexism and dismissal of women's contributions in this book is genuinely infuriating, but I have no doubt that's what the industry really can be like. Although the book definitely has stuff to say about the animation industry, though, other parts of it didn't work for me–Hayley's romance with Bear felt stiff and unconvincing, progressing in kind of unnatural feeling ways, and I don't know much about animation (hence wanting to read this book) but it felt REALLY unrealistic to me that a bunch of high school students who had never formally worked in the industry were expected to produce complete and original short films. Also, maybe I just have bad taste, but the supposedly bad film Hayley had to work on actually sounded pretty good to me? I want to see a Spider-verse style modern-day retelling of Jack and the Beanstock where the giant is an evil stock market manager! So yeah, basically this book had some important stuff to say about the animation industry and I think it managed to get it all across pretty well, but the overall book wasn't a total hit.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author worked in the animation field for some time albeit not as an animator lending realism to the environment. There's a long history of male geeks assuming the females can not be near as geeky or knowledgeable as themselves. We see it in the gaming world as well as other areas in the STEM careers. This is a story of fighting the patriarchy and not letting their condescension alter your belief in your own talents and skills.

Hayley has always wanted to be an animator. She's totally obsessed and when she learns her idol Bryan Beckett is doing an internship for high school students she applies. She is thrilled to get in and maybe finally make her parents realize this is more than just a hobby for her. She goes in extremely confident but when she isn't chosen to be one of the 4 intern directors she suffers a blow. To top it all off she knows the other pitches weren't as good and one was given to the son of Bryan Becket, Bear. What comes out is what her and the few other girls in the internship already knew. The men don't believe that women are as good as men totally ignoring their talents in the process. Even her idol admits the only reason girls were included was to fulfill a "diversity" requirement. Even with that there are few women or people of color in the company. She also learns that Bear is not the spoiled brat she though initially and that he doesn't have a great relationship with his father either. When the director steals her ideas she decides along with the other girls to sneak in their own animated short to show them that girls can be just as good as the men.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

To preface I was not expecting to write a review like this for this book.

I at first was nervous this book might hit me too close to home as it is set in an industry I work in.

Minor Spoilers

The fact that this ended up being a book about sexism in the industry was also a pleasant surprise - one that I also worried would be to close to home, but it made me feel seen. Before I started working, I didn't think sexism was so alive and well - or that a number of Directors in real life matched how bad the intern directors from this. It was nice to see that Bear showed the reader (and Hayley) good ways to Direct and treat the team. Even the description of men wearing ratty shirts contrasting women dressing nicely got me since I'd seen that a lot. The part where Sloan says "I was hopping it would be better" as I'd been in a similar position to her before as I got more senior. The only thing that was a little unrealistic was the runtime of the intern films being made in the time they had - but I suspended my disbelief for this.


When I got to the end and I saw that the writer was also a Producer I grinned. I definitely saw a good touch of good production philosophy throughout the book and I love to see it.

The story was fun, Hayley's pitch was fun and unique, the romance was super cute, Bear was a great male lead, the side characters / female friendships were great, and the drawings throughout the book added a lot of charm.

I definitely finished the book wanting more even though the story was over - I was enjoying it that much. Thanks for the good read, Elissa Sussman!

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

As a child I thought I was gonna go into animation, and I had not seen a story circle around the animation industry before so was immediately intrigued by this book's summary... The book started off fine but as I continued to read, I felt like I was reading a teenager's diary or a teen book rather than a YA novel. The main character has spunk and drive but it was a bit much. She was so full of herself and constantly aggrandized her work over others. I get it - Sussman wanted to elevate women's confidence but this was too much that it held the book back.

I honestly did like Bear, probably more than Hayley, but it frustrated me that Sussman painted like 95% of males in this book as stupid, evil, cowards, and the like. I know misogyny and racism and sexism exist in the workplace, and I assume Sussman writes from some experience since she worked in some major industry players but it felt really one sided. I attended one of the most popular animation conferences in the US and there was such a diversity of people there, I found it hard to believe the world that Sussman created in BB Gun Films still is the norm today...

The book did have some fade-to-black , enemies to lovers romance, which I enjoyed. I did also really like a lot of the messaging near the end when Hayley finally grew up a little, and the explanations of how the animation industry works.

I thought the book could have been maybe 100 pages shorter. I kind of struggled through the middle but I did want to see how Hayley redeemed herself at the end. I think if I was a teen I'd enjoy this book more, but as an adult I'm now spoiled with books that paint characters in really dynamic full light.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

DRAWN THAT WAY is the story of Hayley Saffitz, an aspiring animator who lands a summer internship at the renowned animation studio BB Gun Films. She practically worships the studio's head, director Bryan Beckett, and thinks that if she can impress him with her pitch for an animated short, she'll get to direct a short during the summer and be guaranteed a job offer.

Unfortunately, Hayley gets passed over in favor of four male interns. Shaken by this setback and thrown into doubt about her own skills, she finds herself mired in the fascinating but messy world of animation. A lot of the animation production process is simplified for the story's sake, but I liked how author Elissa Sussman tried to incorporated as much of the production world as possible.

While Hayley is grappling with feelings of inadequacy and a developing interest in Bear (a fellow intern and also Beckett's son), she comes face to face with thorny issues like sexism and racism, creativity and burnout, team collaboration and female friendship, and the inevitable disappointment of meeting one's hero. It may seem like a lot, but Sussman weaves these different issues throughout the story while also avoiding being overly preachy.

I didn't expect to love DRAWN THAT WAY so much, but I ended up finishing it in one day, which probably tells you right off the bat how much I enjoyed it. I also happened to finish it on the day of the release of TURNING RED, the first Pixar film to have a solo female director. Unplanned but very apt. More stories about females, told by females, please!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I randomly picked this and the premise is kind of similar to Not Here To Be Liked, which I read like a month or two ago but honestly I liked this one better.

At first I both kind of liked it but I was also extremely annoyed with the MC. But I don't buy that a teenager in 2021 isn't aware of what sexism is and doesn't know how to recognise when they are being a victim of it when its so paintfully obvious. Also wasn't a fan of her distancing herself from the other girld in the beginning. It also did send me into a fit of rage a lot, because of the injustice of being a woman tbh. I pesonally in my specific workplace (even though it is a mostly male assosiated profession - architect) have not experienced this type of sexism (as in not being recognised as someone with autority, my talent being dismissed because of my gender ect.) and I figured it was accurate but I also talked with some friends and yes this is absolutely accurate holy shit I am so sorry for so many women out there that deal with shit like this on a daily basis.

I did enjoy the romance a lot. The girl just snapped and I was living for it. I would honestly do the absolute same thing Go make out with a hot guy to stop thinking is what I mean I enjoyed the girls coming together though it did feel very tidily wrapped up, but we need endings like this too.

Overall quite fun and enjoyable.